| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
By special invitation, Norway presented on its work on combating tax evasion and tax havens. In response to the presentation and a Commission discussion paper, Ministers noted the importance of mobilising domestic resources in developing partner countries as a key step in reducing dependency on aid and harnessing finance for poverty reduction. In this context, economic growth, support for improving partner countries' tax systems, tackling illegal financial flows and corruption and addressing tax havens where noted as particularly important. The French led a call for the presidency to ensure that innovative proposals on taxation and financing were discussed by both Development and Finance Ministers given the shared interest. The Commission will draft a
paper for Ministers at the May Foreign Affairs Council on enhancing work on tackling tax evasion in developing countries.
More effective EU development assistance
Alongside the quantity of aid, we discussed improving the quality of that aid. The Commission presented work on the improving the complementarity and co-ordination of EU aid.
The new Administrator of the United States' Agency for International Development (USAID), Dr. Shah, presented his priorities to the group. These were: a strong focus on the MDGs, particularly how technology can be deployed in support of development; maternal health; food security; and education. Dr. Shah emphasised his desire to build an effective and practical partnership with the EU on development issues, something already in evidence and underlined by the response to the Haiti earthquake. EU Ministers welcomed his appointment and pledged to take forward this important relationship on a range of issues, not least the 2010 MDG summit.
Ministers discussed the situation in Haiti, both in terms of immediate response and ensuring better co-ordination for the reconstruction. Edmund Mullet, UN Special Representative to Haiti, Kristalina Georgieva, the new EU Humanitarian Commissioner and Dr. Shah provided details of their own efforts and their assessment of need. I joined my EU colleagues in recognising the tireless efforts of UN staff, Commission and other aid workers in Haiti
I argued for a thorough review of the humanitarian system over the last five years, learning lessons from Haiti and other disasters and drawing up recommendations to improve future responses. This proposal gained support from a number of Ministers and this will help to build the growing consensus behind the review.
I also held a series of useful bilateral meetings discussing for example reform of the humanitarian system, Haiti, the MDGs and aid financing with, amongst others, Dirk Neibel, the German Development Minister, Dr. Shah of USAID and Commissioner Piebalgs.
Departmental Expenditure Limits
The Secretary of State for International Development (Mr. Douglas Alexander): Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Department for International Development's departmental expenditure limit (DEL) will be reduced by £33,098,000 from £6,757,774,000 to £6,726,607,000.
Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the following table:
The net change in the Resource element of DEL arises from:
£280,000 transferred from the Department of Health in respect of International Health Links Funding Scheme.
£77,000 transferred to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in respect of payments to locally engaged staff in Iraq.
£5,500,000 transferred to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in respect of the Returns and Reintegration Fund.
£25,959,000 transferred to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in respect of the Conflict Prevention Pool.
£1,832,000 transferred to the Ministry of Defence in respect of the Conflict Prevention Pool.
£10,000 transferred to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in respect of the Low Carbon High Growth Strategic Programme Fund.
There is no net change in the Capital element of DEL.
Justice
Departmental Expenditure Limits
The Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor (Mr. Jack Straw): Subject to Parliamentary approval of any necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Northern Ireland Court Service (NICS) and The National Archives (TNA) Total Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) will be increased as follows:
Total DEL for MoJ (RfRl, 2 & 3) is increased by £101,298,000 from £9,828,762,000 to £9,930,060,000 and the administration budget has increased by £23,282,000 from £435,920,000 to £459,202,000.
Total DEL for the NICS has increased by £17,000,000 from £147,556,000 to £164,556,000.
Total DEL for the TNA has increased by £1,000 from £44,151,000 to £44,152,000.
Within the Total DEL change for MoJ (RfRl, 2 & 3), the impact on resource and capital is as set out in the following table:
| Change | New DEL | ||||
| Voted £'000 | Non-voted £'000 | Voted £'000 | Non-voted £'000 | Total £'000 | |
| (*)The total of the 'Administration Budget' and 'Near Cash in Resource DEL' figures may well be greater than total Resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping. (**)Capital DEL includes items treated as Resource in Estimates and Accounts, but which are treated as Capital DEL in Budgets. (***)Depreciation, which forms part of Resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since Capital DEL includes Capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting. | |||||
1) The change in the Resource and Capital DEL for MoJ arises from:
Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit
The change in the resource element of DEL arises from:
Movements in Voted Expenditure
i. An increase in voted expenditure of £7,000,000 as a result of drawdown of End Year Flexibility (EYF) funding relating to the workforce modernisation programme.
ii. An increase in voted expenditure of £14,792,000 as a result of a budget transfer from the Home Office in relation to accommodation costs.
iii. An increase in voted expenditure of £13,088,000 as a result of the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
iv. An increase in voted expenditure of £34,000,000 as a result of drawdown of reserve claim from HM Treasury relating to prison capacity programme.
v. An increase in voted expenditure of £1,166,000 to the transfer of funding in relation to the Parliamentary Council Office from the Cabinet Office
vi. An increase in voted expenditure of £1,000,000 in relation to non-cash funding from the Supreme Court.
vii. An increase in voted expenditure of £273,000 in relation to mail and messenger services received from the Home Office.
viii. An increase in voted expenditure of £86,000 in relation to funding for Estate Agents Appeals Panel and the creation of the Consumer Credit Appeals Tribunals from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (DBIS).
ix. A decrease in voted expenditure of £568,000 in relation to healthcare services for additional prison places transferred to the Department of Health (DoH).
x. A decrease in voted expenditure of £2,624,000 in relation to education services for additional prison places transferred to the DBIS.
xi. A decrease in voted expenditure of £500,000 in relation to costs associated with Corporate Manslaughter Act transferred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
xii. A decrease in voted expenditure of £470,000 in relation to near cash transferred to Supreme Court.
xiii. An increase in near cash resource funding of £1,200,000 in relation to drawdown of EYF.
xiv. An increase in near cash resource funding of £28,000 as a result of the adoption of IFRS.
xv. An increase in near cash resource funding of £230,000 in relation to transfer of costs relating to the Parliamentary Counsel Office from the Cabinet Office.
xvi. An increase in near cash resource funding of £116,000 as a result of the adoption of IFRS.
Movements in Non-Voted Expenditure
i. An increase in non-voted expenditure of £220,000 as result of the adoption of IFRS.
ii. An increase in non-voted expenditure offset by a decrease in voted expenditure of £61,400,000 relating to increased spend of the Legal Services Commission.
iii. A decrease in non-voted expenditure offset by a increase in voted expenditure of £3,501,000 relating to increase in the attributable income receivable by the Legal Services Board.
iv. A decrease in non-voted expenditure offset by an increase in voted expenditure of £6,124,000 relating to increase in the attributable income receivable by the Office of Legal Complaints.
v. A decrease in non-voted expenditure offset by an increase in voted expenditure of £14,704,000 relating to decrease in spend of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.
vi. A decrease in non-voted expenditure offset by an increase in voted expenditure of £4,650,000 relating to decrease in spend of the Youth Justice Board.
vii. An increase in non-voted expenditure offset by a decrease in voted expenditure of £35,000 relating to increased spend of the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit
The change in the capital element of the Departmental Expenditure Limit arises from:
Movements in Voted Expenditure
i. An increase of £33,000,000 in Capital DEL in respect of the Prison Capacity Programme.
ii. An increase of £79,000 in Capital DEL as a result of the implementation of IFRS.
Movements in Non-Voted Expenditure
i. An increase in non-voted expenditure offset by a decrease in voted expenditure of £12,900,000 relating to increased spend of the Legal Services Commission.
ii. An increase in non-voted expenditure offset by a decrease in voted expenditure of £3,450,000 relating to increase in the attributable income receivable by the Office of Legal Complaints.
iii. An increase in non-voted expenditure offset by a decrease in voted expenditure of £500,000 relating to decrease in spend of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |